Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Summary Report for 2022 Urban Green Infrastructure Resilience Cohort

Abstract

For the Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) Resilience Cohort, Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI) contracted Davey Resource Group, Inc. “DRG” to translate digital imagery showing detailed leaf-on conditions into different land cover classifications for nine Indiana communities. In addition to consultant and climate fellow participation, local government cohort participation included the City of Fishers, City of Fort Wayne, City of Huntington, Town of Merrillville, City of Terre Haute, Town of Zionsville, and joint participation from City of Lafayette, City of West Lafayette, and Tippecanoe County. This consultant-fellow-government cohort partnership has provided a resource for community planning and tools that illustrate current baseline land cover percentages, including an improved understanding of tree canopy and preferred plantable area.

The project area includes the municipal boundaries of all patriating cities and towns and the unincorporated urbanized area of Greater Lafayette. This project area is approximately 383 square miles or 245,003 acres (Table 1). Cumulatively, the cohort’s 2021 existing tree canopy is at 24% cover. The analysis projects an attainable tree canopy of 49%; this is the sum of the existing tree canopy and plantable area (26%). Reaching the maximum tree canopy will be a challenge; however, preserving existing tree canopy, establishing realistic canopy goals, and harnessing the maximum amount of ecosystem benefits by planting, maintaining, and caring for trees (particularly large-growing trees) when appropriate are prudent and responsible endeavors.